Upholstered seat structure



H. N. PEDERSEN.

UPH'OLSTERED SEAT STRUCTURE.

APFLICATIO N FILED NOV. 21| 1917.

Patented June 10 I-IAZEL'N. PEDER'SEN, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN.\

UPHOLSTERED SEAT STRUCT'URE.

Specfication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10, 1919.

Application filed November 21, 1917. Serial No. 203,156.

To aZZ 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAzEL N. PEDERSEN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Racine, countytof Racine, and State of `Wisconsin., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Upholstered Seat- Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in upholstered seat structures; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred mechanical expression or embodiment of my invention-from among other forms, constructions and arrangements within the spirit and scope thereof.

An object of the inventionis to improve the bottom frames of spring and other seats' having top cushions wherein the seat or cushion cover depends in the form of an apron and at its lower edge is secured to or by such bottom frames;

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottom frame for such seats where- 'by the cover apron can be quickly and easily secured, in the process of applying the seat cushions and cover to the spring structure, and whereby the portion of said cover, where joined to the frame, will be guarded and protected by the formation of said frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottom frame that will constitute the bottom supporting rim of the seat structure as well as the bottom stiffening frame to which the lower ends of the outer Springs are secured, and that comprises coperating clamping members constructed to fit one within the other and clamp and securely fasten the lower edge of the cover apron.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring seat structure, adapted to be upholstered, with a bottom frame comprising upper and lower interfit-ting members adapted to clamp and secure the lower edge of the seat cover apron, said members being` so formed that channel iron or the like, similar in cross Section can be utilized in the formation of both members.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and arrangements as more fully and particularly set forth and specifiedhereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying' draw- 111gs:-

Figure 1, is a perspective view showing a bottom and corner portion of an automobile or other upholstered spring seat, some of the coiled springs being shown.

2, Ais a detail sectional view.

F1g. 3, is a sectional detail of certain parts shown in abnormal posit-ions separated from each other.

In seats of this'type, a spring structure is employed comprising series of Verticallydisposed coiled or volute Springs, such as 1, and these Springs are suitably coupled together at their upper ends and secured to .or within an upper frame, and the lower ends of the Springs are also coupled together and secured to or within a lower frame. Suitable upholstering, such as 2, is' secured on the spring structure, and this upholstering usually includes cushions on the spring structure, and a suitable leather or other covering and this covering includes a flexible apron arranged vertically at the sides or edges of the spring structure to cover or inclose the same 'between the upper and lower 'of the seat and its occupant, and this rm is composed of an upper member, frame or section and-a complementary lower member, frame or section receiving the up er member and the lower edge of the cover apron. The upper member consists of a metal strip or bar having a depending Vertical flange and a top longitudinal channel or socket, open at its inner edge or side, at 5, and having horizontal approximately flat parallel upper and lower walls joined by a verti- 'i cally disposed rounded curved portion 6 forming the'outer edge or slde'of the metal strip or bar and rendering the channel thereof app-roximately U- shape in crossv section. The horizontal bottom wall of the channel is continued ydownwardly .from the open edge of the channel to form the depending approximately flat Vertical longitudinal wall or flange 7. The channel formation of this longitudinal strip or member not only stifiens and strengthens the same, but also pro- Vides means for receiving and securing the same to the edge or outer coiled Springs of the spring seat structure. For instance, I show the outer portions of the. bottom or lower end conVolutions of these Springs fitted snugly in the channel or socket of Said member and said member and sprlng con- Volutions are permanently secured and coupled together by pinching the free edge portion of the top wall of the channel downwardly, at 8', to embrace or partially embrace the wires forming said convolutlons.

The complementary lower frame or member of the rim consists of a metal bar o -r strip forming an outwa-rdly extending horizontally disposed longitudinal flange 8 and a -yertically-disposed longitudinal channel or socket 9, open a-t its top edge or side and having approximately parallel Vertical side walls with Jche fiange 8 extending laterally and outwardly from the upper edge of the outer wall of the channel. In what I now believe to be the 'preferred form of my in- Vention, the two frames or members of the rim are similar'in cross section and can be composed of similar channel strips bent or rolled by the same dies or other machine. The lower member of the rim is so formed and arranged with respect to the other member, that the fiange 7 of the upper member will enter the channel 9 of the lower member to form an apron retaining' clip or clamp, and the out turned fiange 8 of the lower member will underlie the bottom-wall of the channel 4 of the upper member and form a,

- guard for` the portion of the apron where it enters the rim, and if need be the flangeA S and lower wall of channel 4c will coperate to clamp the 'apron and limit the relatiVe interlocking or intermeshing movement of 'the two members.

Tn applying the rim, the upper frame is arranged around the exterior of the lower end or portion 'of the spring structure and secured to the lower ends of the Springs as described, with the cover apron 3 arranged at the exterior thereof or inclosing the same. The lower edge or free portion of the apron is then folded inwardly across the said' upper member and its flange 7, and the lower member is then applied so that the lower edge of the apron will be clamped between the two members. lvhen the two members have been forced tightly together to operati'i'e position and the seat is in normal upright position, the apron extends down at the exterior of the rounded outer edge G of the upper member and inwardly along the bottom surface of the lower wall of channel 4 and forms a bight in the channel 9, facing both Vertical faces of the fiange 7. The. flange 7 in effect forms a key or wedge whereby the apron is forced down in channel 9 under pressure land is therein wedged and locked. The material of the channel is more or less resilient and the walls of the channel are usually slightly sprung apart by the action of forcing the apron thereinto and hence the resilient action of the channel tends to more tightly grip and clamp the apron.

The fiange 8, of the lower member, also coperates with the 'horizontal channel portion of the upper member to clamp the horizontal inwardly extending portion of the apron, and furthermore acts as a stop limitinrr the intermeshing movement of the two memibeis to prevent the lower edge of fiange 7 appro'aching so close to the fioor o-f channel 9 as to wear through or sever the apron along that line.

The outwardly projecting flange 8, in the completed rim, also serves as a guard for protecting the portion of the apron engaging the rounded surface G of the rim, against wear and injury through contact with adjacent parts when in use. The rounded surface 6 also serves to reduce to the minimum wear and breakage of the apron along the line `where it bends to enter the rim.

The weight of the seat and its occupant, tends to force and hold the two members together in operative apron gripping adjustment, and furthermore these members are held together by reason of the fact that the apron is tightly wedged and forced under tension in channel 9 by looking key or flange 7.

f so desired, suitable clips can be employed to prevent possibility of accidental separation of the rim members during han- 'dling and shipment, but such clips are notl essential and l doy not wish to limit my in- Vention to the employment thereof.

n the specific example illustrated, each clip is formed by a sheet metal strip or plate having a fiat Vertical body portion 10 arranged at the inner Vertical side of the rim, a laterally or outwardly extending upper end 11 in the form of a hook bill extending transversely across the top side of the upper member 'of the rim and engaging the rounded outer edge G thereof,and a lower end 12 extending outwardly across the lower edge of channel 9 and bent upwardly at the outer ,Vertical side of said channel. These clips can be formed before application, as shown by Fig. 3, with the lower end 12, straight. T'he clips can` be applied to the completed rim, from the inside by hoolring their ends 11 oVer the top edge of the rim and then swinging the clips outwardly against the inner Vertical wall of channel 9, and then bending the free outer ends of ends 12 upwardly to fasten the clips. The clips can be opened or unlocked for release, to permit .separation of the members of therim, by

bending their enter ends 12 downwardly, a will be readily understood.

T'hose skilled in the art will appreciate the advantages of a rim that can be' thus quickly applied to firmly grip and hold the cover apron without puncturing the same and without the use of eXtra or separate cover fastening devices.

It will also be noted that the rim is exceedingly stifi' and rigid, and in the sp-ecific example illustrated, embodies three metal layers or thicknesses both vertically and trans'versely, and also embodies channels both vertically and horizontally, alt-hough as at present advised, I do not wish to so limit all features of my invention.

It is cvident that various changes and modificatifons might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and sc'ope of my invention and h-ence I do not Wish to limit myself to the exact disclosures hereof.,

What I 'claim is 6. In spring seat construction, a cover apron securing rim comprising upper and g nel and key is limited.

l. In spring seat construction, a depend-.

flange to enter the channel of said other' member. i

3. In sprlng -seat construction, a bottom rim comprlsmg a top member having a channel to reecive portions of seat spring convolutions, a wall of said channel formed to "be pinched at intervals to partially embrace said portions, and a bottom member having a flange to guard the cover apron, said rimv members embo'dying an apron receiving channel and a. flange for looking and wedging the apron in 'the channel.

4:. In spring seat construction, a bottom seat sup-porting 'and cover-apron securing rim embodying longitudinally fl'anged and channeled complementary members substantially similar in cross section.

.5. In spring seat construction, a seat supporting and cover-apron securing rim comprising a lower member having a verticallydisposed open-top longitudinal channel, and a complementary upper member having a de- -pending longitudinal locking-key-forming portion for wedging and 'gripping the apron in said channel, said members having opposing coperating surfaces for clamping said apron at the exteror of said channel.

, 7. In spring seat construction, a seat supporting and cover-apron clamping rim comprising a longitudinal member having a horizontal spring-convolution-receiving and securing channel and a longitudinal fi'ange depending at the inner edge of said channel,

and 'a loncitudinal member having a Verti-r cal long'iudinal apron-receiving channel adapted lto receive and coperate with said flange in clanrping and'lsecuring the apron in the channel, said last mentioned member having a horizontal longitudinal flange projecting outwardly from the outer. wall of its channel to guard the apron and underlie the portion thereof 'transversely of the bottom surface of said horizontal channel of the upper member. i y

8. A border strip for spring seat constructions, comprising a channel portion, a flange depending therefrom, and a clamping element adapted to be applied to said flange.

9. A border strip for spring seat construction, comprising a channel portion adapted to receive the springs of said construction, a flange depending from said channel portion for receiving the depending ends of Seat covering material, and a spring clamping element adapted to be forced over sald flange and the material thereon to bind the same thereto.

10. A border strip for spring seat construction, comprising a single piece of material formedwith a channel portion and a portion extending from one side thereof to form a flange, and a U-shaped spring clamping element adapted to be forced over and onto said flange. v

11. A spring seat construction, comprising a series of coiled Springs, a border strlp extending therearound to which 'said sprlngs are fastened, a flange portion dependlng fromthe border strip, seat covering material on said construction'and depending downwardly over the sides thereof, the ends of portion extending from said channel portion, one side of said channel portion bent over the convolu'tions of said Springs fastening the same therein and thereto, and a clamping` element adapted to be applied to the fiange portion of said border strip whereby covering material may be bound to said construction.

13. In spring sea-t construction, a bottom spring frame comprising a horizontally arranged channel having a depending fiange, and a vertically a'rranged channel having an out turned fiange, said' Vertical channel adapted to be forced upwardly on said depending fiange with the edge portion of the apron intervening between the channel and said fiange and between 'said out turned flange and said horizontal channel.

14. In spring seat construction, a bottom spring frame comprising a member having a horizontally disposed channel open at its inner edge to receive and secure the bottom convolutions of the outer Springs, the apron of the seat adapted to pass down at the outer side of and inwardly beneath Said member, and a Aseparate clamping element securing the apron to the under side of said member and facing the apron below Said member.

15. In spring seat construction, a bottom spring frame comprising an upper member secured to the Springs and having a depending flange and an upper outwardly extending shoulder, the seat apron adapted to eX-- 'tend down at the outer side of said member and inwardly under said shoulder and around said fiange, and a clamping channel adapted to clamp said apron against said fiange and having an out turned fiange adapted to coperate With said shoulder in clamping said apron.

HAZEL N. PEDERSEN. 

